Why a senior needs to make a plan

By CAROLE A. BELL

Published 4:02 am, Monday, May 25, 2015

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Carole Bell

Carole Bell

Why a senior needs to make a plan

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“Where do you see yourself in in 10 years?” The question was posed by a youth pastor to seniors in the group. Answers ranged from not knowing to well-thought-out futures. It’s true that plans made at age 18 will probably be adjusted during the following 10 years. Stuff happens. Life gets in the way of plans. But that’s OK. The important point is that plans were made. Why?

Imagine that you are leaving home Thursday morning to go to a conference in Houston. Most likely you use a phone app to make plans. After punching in destination and other information, you have an idea of how long the trip will take, what route you will use, and even where you’ll stop for lunch. You plan to get there in time to get a good night’s sleep and do a little shopping before the opening social hour Friday evening. About midnight, a stomach virus hits and keeps you awake all night. At 6 a.m., you decide you need to sleep a while before you drive.

You wake at 11:30 a.m. and adjust your plans. You’ll drive as long as you feel like it and stop for the night. You reason it’s better to be rested for the meeting than to drive straight through. You don’t exactly feel stellar after being up all night.

All goes well until Friday just outside Houston. You have a flat tire that steals two hours of your time. You adjust again. There’ll be less time to shop. Finally, you arrive at your hotel with just enough time to rest and dress for the evening. So much for shopping.

If that plan had to be altered so many times, what was the point of having it? You knew your ultimate destination and what it would take to get there. Without planning, it’s hard to even get started.

So it is with a senior making plans for the next 10 years. Time lines will change. Some small objectives will be abandoned or adjusted. Sometimes, the whole plan has to be replaced with a new one. (A second plan is easier to write than a first one.)

The point is, by writing that first plan, you have given thought to your future. You’ve looked at alternatives and weighed their merit. You’ve investigated the cost in terms of money, time and commitment. Having done that homework will prepare you for the kind of planning that is necessary throughout your life. And it might get you to your age 28 goal without too many side trips.

Next week, let’s look at the specifics of plans that high school seniors should consider.